ACFL 2: Belturbet score comfortable win over Swad

July 10, 2018

Belturbet 3-15 
Swanlinbar 1-12 

Belturbet produced a clinical performance to comfortably dispose of Swanlinbar's challenge when the two sides met in the re-arranged ACFL Division 2 League encounter on Saturday evening last. 

Cormac Donohoe opened the scoring for the Rorys three minutes into the contest firing over a free.  

Ruairi Curran immediately replied for the hosts with a free a minute later. Conor Walsh then moved Swanlinbar into the lead with six minutes gone when he split the posts with a very well taken point.  

Enda Henry's eight minute free tied the match up at 0-2 apiece after Eoin McGuigan had been obstructed. Niall Lawlor, Mark Teevan and Cian Vaughan all combined to work a scoring chance for Fionan O'Reilly who shot over a cracking point off the right hand wing to leave Belturbet one point up with nine minutes played. Gearoid McKiernan levelled the match for the third time from a free with 12 minutes on the clock.  

Enda Henry's 14th minute free nudged Belturbet back in front and Fionan O'Reilly quickly added to this with a splendid point after more good approach play from Mark Teevan. Stuart Dunne and Niall Lawlor worked the ball between them to tee up Eoin McGuigan to dissect the posts in the 17th minute as the visitors moved 0-6 to 0-3 ahead. Swanlinbar's Damian Leydon kicked a cracking point from an acute angle after Conor Walsh's lay-off a minute later to cut the gap down to two.  

Stuart Dunne rifled over a terrific point from long range in the 20th minute and efforts from Cormac Donohoe from a  free and Donal McDonald from play ensured Belturbet moved 0-9 to 0-4 in front with just over 22 minutes played. McDonald kicked another trademark point for the Rorys after Enda Henry's fine play as Belturbet continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Conor Walsh curled over a point for Swanlinbar in the 26th minute and Cian McGovern stole in to crash a blistering shot past Danny Anscombe in the Belturbet goal a minute later to trim the home side's arrears to 0-10 to 1-5. Enda Henry converted a long range free for Padraig Dolan's men in the 30th minute. Gearoid McKiernan ended the first half scoring with a point from play to leave the half time scoreline reading 0-11 to 1-6 in Belturbet's favour.  

Belturbet shot out of the traps at the outset of the second half with Mark Teevan's excellent play teeing up an opportunity for Donal McDonald which the full forward gleefully buried past Gerry Scollan just seconds into the second half. Ruairi Curran responded with a free for Swad a minute later to leave the scoreboard 1-11 to 1-7 in Belturbet's favour. Luke Smith bombed forward from corner back to thunder over a point with 33 minutes gone. Eoin McGuigan whose physical power caused Swanlinbar huge problems then showed great hands to get in around the back of the Swanlinbar defence and lay the ball off to Donal McDonald who bagged his second goal of the match to move the away side into an eight point advantage. Gearoid McKiernan scored a monster free for Swanlinbar with 35 minutes gone. Mark Teevan then played another key role in Belturbet's third goal spraying a pass into Eoin McGuigan who turned his marker and shot into the roof of the net.  Gearoid McKiernan who was  Swanlinbar's scorer in chief converted a 40th minute free to cut the gap down to 3-12 to 1-9. Conal McGinley who alongside Mark Teevan enjoyed a fine game in the midfield engine room laid on the next point for McDonald to swing over a 43rd minute point. Enda Henry nailed another terrific long range free to stretch Belturbet's lead to 3-14 to 1-9 with 50 minutes gone. Gearoid McKiernan kicked three points in succession for the hosts  from both placed balls and open play. Enda Henry wrapped up the nine point win for Belturbet with a 59th minute free.  This West Cavan clash was excellently officiated by Conor Dourneen who kept a close eye on proceedings throughout in what in recent times has been a feisty encounter and who contributed to a free flowing game with some excellent point taking on display from both sides.  

Swanlinbar: Gerry Scollan, Joseph O'Brien, Bhreifne McKiernan, Thomas O'Brien, Damian Leydon (0-1), Conor McGoldrick, Dillon O'Brien, Michael Curran, Gearoid McKiernan (0-7 5f), Cian McGovern (1-0), Ruairi Curran (0-2, 2f), Robbie Prior, Ruairi McBarron, Conor Walsh (0-2), Michael Cunningham. Subs: Ben Walsh, Brian Leonard, Padraig Leydon, Stephen Prior, Padraig McManus, Dylan O'Sullivan.  

Belturbet: Danny Anscombe, Luke Smith (0-1), Peter Shannon, Kevin McConnell, Fionan O'Reilly (0-2), Enda Henry (C) (0-5 5f), Stuart Dunne (0-1), Mark Teevan, Conal McGinley, Niall O'Reilly, Cian Vaughan, Cormac Donohoe (0-2 2f), Niall Lawlor, Donal McDonald (2-3), Eoin McGuigan (1-1). Subs: James McCaffrey, Conor Vaughan, Killian Teevan. 

Referee: Conor Dourneen.  


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